Woman charged with coughing on police could have bail revoked

Police will appeal bail given to a woman accused of spitting at and coughing on officers after claiming she was speeding to get tested for coronavirus.

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Police will appeal the bail granted to a woman accused of spitting at and coughing on officers who pulled her over last week, after claiming she was speeding because she was on her way to get tested for coronavirus.

A court heard that Hannah Ayoub was behind the wheel of an Audi and driving along Greenacre Rd in Greenacre on Friday afternoon when she caught the attention of police.

It is alleged the unemployed 25-year-old drove at 120 km/h in a 50 km/h zone before turning left onto Waterloo Road.

Hannah Ayoub is arrested by police. Picture: Supplied

Police allege Ayoub then drove through a red light, swerved across unbroken lines to overtake another car and turned right in Macquarie St.

With a Traffic and Highway Patrol car on her tail, Ayoub allegedly ignored a stop sign before coming to a stop in heavy traffic on Roberts Road.

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A police officer approached Ayoub and placed her under arrest but she allegedly refused to get out of the car.

When she was physically removed from the car, she was handcuffed and allegedly claimed she was on her way to be tested for COVID-19.

Police will allege that footage of the dramatic arrest, which has gone viral on social media, shows Ayoub coughing in the police officer’s face before spitting at him.

In the footage Ayoub allegedly spits on the officer, who can be heard telling her to stop.

Ayoub can then be heard telling the officer to let her go so she can call her lawyer.

After Ayoub is placed on the ground, she can be heard pleading with a bystander to help her with her hijab which had been dislodged.

Police Prosecutors opposed bail at court and are in the process of seeking an appeal through the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, NSW Police said in a statement on Monday.

Ayoub was charged with several offences, including assault police, drive recklessly and speeding.

Defence barrister Tom Hughes said Ayoub had serious psychological issues, including post traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Ayoub allegedly coughed and spat on an officer.

Police handcuffed her and placed a mask over her mouth.

The court heard Ayoub, who also suffered chronic pain and back injuries from an earlier car accident, also told the officer that her brother had coronavirus.

Mr Hughes described yesterday’s arrest as a collision of circumstances and a situation that was compounded by genuine anxiety of both the community and the police.

“This woman has not been tested positive and nor has her brother been tested for coronavirus,” Mr Hughes told the court.

However the police prosecutor said Ayoub knew she hadn’t been tested for the virus and that added to the callous nature of her behaviour.

The arresting officer had to wait for his test results to ensure no virus or disease was transmitted.

“That is another officer off the streets for two weeks at a time when the community certainly needs them,” she said.

The magistrate granted Ayoub’s bail on the conditions she adhered to a strict curfew at her parents’ home, not drive and come up with a $5000 surety.

Outside court, Mr Hughes said he hoped the fact Ayoub had not tested positive to COVID-19 would give police some comfort.

“She said things which one assumes were the product of heightened anxiety and stress explicable by reference to diagnosed psychological problems,” he said.

The case was adjourned to Bankstown Local Court on June 17.

Originally published as Woman charged with coughing on police could have bail revoked